British writer

Chapter 330 The finishing touch

a week later,

Harvard University, Auditorium.

The scene was noisy. There were probably nearly two thousand people gathered here.

In addition to students from Harvard University, people from MIT also joined in the fun.

There are simply not enough seats in the auditorium;

In the aisle, many people were sitting on the floor;

There were also many people standing in the open space behind.

There were crowds of people, and the whole space was wrapped in discussion.

"It is said that Professor Lu's new play is called "Original Gangster". This word is very literal. I have never heard anyone say it in real life."

"That's inevitable! If you had a chance to listen, you might have been buried in the sea."

"I'm just a little curious. Can Lu write this kind of gang drama? This is an unprecedented subject matter..."

"A gang is nothing more than personal heroism and brotherly loyalty. I can think of it with my knees."

…

Everyone is either curious or predicting,

Warm atmosphere.

At this time,

"Borrowed it! Borrowed it!"

Franklin Roosevelt pushed his way through the crowd.

The surrounding people immediately cast sharp glances.

Roosevelt was embarrassed, lowered his head and hurried to the third row and sat down next to his friend Devin.

Devin scolded: "Why are you so late?"

He looked around,

"You don't know, I almost had someone skinned me alive when I held a seat for you."

Roosevelt was also helpless.

"Can that be called 'occupying a seat'? This is the seat for the editor of The Crimson Newspaper."

He lowered his voice and explained: "I can't help it, I just went for an interview."

As he spoke, he pointed to the front row calmly.

There, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt sat next to Lu Shi,

The two of them were whispering about something.

Devon was curious,

"What was the interview?"

Roosevelt Jr. said: "What else could it be? My uncle knows the dangers of emphasizing trusts. For him, 'Free America' is completely empty talk~"

Devin burst out laughing.

Roosevelt Jr. added: "To talk about him, it's better to watch Professor Lu's interview."

He handed over a copy of The Crimson.

Lu Shi's interview was published in the newspaper today.

The article is called:

"The True Practitioner of the American Dream—Lu".

The title is very magical.

"hiss……"

Devin took a breath;

"What's this!?"

Roosevelt spread his hands,

"What does it say in the Declaration, 'All men are created equal and have been endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'? Look, do any of us believe it now? Lu The professor really believes it."

Devin was speechless,

"..."

Deep down, he felt that Lu Shi didn't believe in the American dream either.

My friend was obviously deceived.

But looking back and thinking about it,

A gentleman does not care about his heart when discussing his deeds. There is no perfect person in the world when it comes to his heart.

As long as Lu Shi keeps fighting for the rights of Chinese Americans, that's good.

The two discussed the interview for a while,

Before you know it, the stage workers have arranged the scenes and props on the stage.

The curtain was also drawn.

Eliot, the president of Harvard, stood up and turned to the students.

"Everyone, after a year, we are fortunate to see Professor Lu's drama again. I believe you have heard that the subject matter this time is very novel, and it is an area that has not been touched before in drama and even the entire history of literature."

The scene fell into silence,

stare--

His burning eyes fell on Lu Shi.

Elliot looked around;

"It seems that everyone can't wait any longer, so I won't stop talking nonsense. Let the show begin!"

Instantly, the scene burst into warm applause.

When the applause fades out,

A tired, pleading voice sounded:

"I believe in America."

"America made me rich."

…

With these words, the curtain slowly opened.

The audience unconsciously cast their eyes towards the source of the sound.

The setting for the first act is simple;

It looks like the story takes place in the office of a certain company.

Someone is reporting to the leader.

He shrank, as if he wanted to shrink into a small ball,

I don't know if it was because of fear, nervousness, or anger, but his voice was trembling.

Opposite him,

The boss played by Li Jie sat calmly, with his hands clasped in front of his chest and his thumbs circling each other.

Devin was confused;

"This...is this a Chinese gang?"

…

"Is this a Chinese gang?"

Roosevelt, who was sitting in the front row, was full of interest.

"interesting."

Lu Shi glanced at him but didn't answer.

In fact, he wasn't entirely satisfied with the beginning.

In the opening scene of "The Godfather", the large black area in the shot forms a strong contrast with the strong highlights above the head of the funeral parlor owner.

As the camera recedes, use the zoom of the lens to slowly make the characters appear.

This sequence is known as one of the ten greatest openings in film history.

Unlike movies, dramas can only rely on the opening of the curtain to barely act as lens language.

But even so, this form was sufficiently advanced at the beginning of the 20th century.

The audience at the scene was all amazed.

In the monologue of the suffering master, the incident was narrated:

A murder occurred in an apartment building in Chinatown. A Chinese woman was murdered.

And it was the woman's husband who came to look for the boss.

He has identified the murderer and is just waiting for revenge.

The big boss played by Li Jie said slowly: "This is Chinatown. Many things can't be done just what you want."

He still speaks very calmly,

However, the coldness and rejection were palpable.

…

Roosevelt was surprised,

"Since he is his brother, why would the boss refuse? Wouldn't this lose people's hearts?"

"Tsk..."

Lu Shi was speechless.

“Congress proposals are not always passed and signed on the same day.”

"Ah this..."

Roosevelt was slightly embarrassed.

Thought,

Government and gangs, can that be the same?

But the next performance completely subverted his idea.

The victim of the incident knelt down in front of the big boss and continued to beg his grandfather and grandma, hoping that the church could help him come forward.

The boss still looked calm,

"According to the rules, things can't be done like this."

The sufferer was stunned for a moment,

"I understand. According to the rules, there must be a public trial."

…

In the conversation between the two, the whole incident was fully introduced.

And the boss always emphasizes:

Follow the rules.

In just a few minutes, he went from refusal to acceptance, and his image of a well-founded person was roughly created.

The old Roosevelt lowered his voice and commented: "The boss took control of the opponent very easily. And... hum hum hum…"

A chuckle.

Lu Shi asked: "Mr. President, what's wrong?"

The elder Roosevelt replied: "He put on the cloak of rules, respect, and friendship in Chi Guoguo's transactions. From this point of view alone, Washington and the gang are actually somewhat similar, with the same hypocrisy and the same profit-oriented attitude. .”

He looked at Lu Shi,

"In the first act, I didn't see the gangs, I just saw the business."

Lu Shi nodded,

"Yes, Mr. President, you found the essence."

Roosevelt replied: "If you tell me this now, does it count as a spoiler?"

Lu Shi shrugged.

"Then I won't speak."

The two continued to turn their attention to the stage.

The plot of the first act progresses normally and ends with the revelation that the victim and the murderer belong to different churches in Chinatown.

The curtain slowly closed.

The plot's twists and turns were obviously beyond everyone's expectations.

The scene was quiet at first,

Immediately afterwards, there was a heated discussion.

Roosevelt was also a little curious and asked Lu Shi: "Sir Lu, the plot says that Chinatown is an independent kingdom, and most matters are resolved by private execution halls set up by the gangs. So, why do the victims call the police first?"

This guy obviously hasn't gone deep into the masses and doesn't know the sufferings of the world.

Lu Shi explained: "The Chinese people will digest the small conflicts themselves. But if human life is involved, it will definitely not work without calling the police."

The old Roosevelt pondered,

When he was the governor of New York State, the security situation in Chinatown was indeed strange.

If nothing happens for a long time,

When something goes wrong, it's a vicious incident like a homicide or armed gang fight.

The old Roosevelt said: "But the suffering master still found the big boss."

Lu Shi said: "First, because he is a member of the church, and second, because the murderer also has a backer."

Roosevelt nodded repeatedly.

Then he became a little excited again,

"Will there be a large-scale gang fight scene in the second act? I heard that in your country's dramas, martial arts are very special, and the performance format is very different from other countries' dramas."

There were obviously many people in the auditorium who had similar thoughts.

"Will there be a gang fight?"

"You can't act. I heard that Russians are very cruel to people."

"I wonder how the church in Chinatown is."

…

Students are extremely curious about that kind of thing.

Unfortunately, the plot didn't go as they wanted.

There is indeed a fight between the two factions in the second act, but the performance is not radical, and there is no imaginary flash of swords or bloodshed in the streets.

In the end, enough is enough, and the data is brought out in a few words during the conversation.

At the height of the melee, the boss was assassinated.

But he still abides by the "rules" and only takes revenge within a limited scope, as if he has deliberately shackled himself while dancing, without any trace of ambition.

Gradually, the atmosphere at the scene changed.

Excitement dissipates,

The students put themselves more into the plot and thought about why the boss behaved the way he did.

Roosevelt gave Lu Shi a subtle look,

Thought,

This Chinese guy can always come up with something new.

In this way, the plot slowly advances.

Acts 3 and 4 are divided into two lines,

One is the court hearing line;

One is the battle line between two churches.

Because of the boss's restraint, the final number of casualties did not exceed one hundred.

But even so, a state legislator was alarmed.

He took the lead and invited the Chinese minister to make peace, which ultimately led to a peace agreement.

This agreement fully respected the interests and authority of each church, stipulated the sphere of influence of each party, and was like an underground law. It maintained the peace of the underground world in Chinatown for a long time.

The curtain slowly closed.

At this point, "Bigg Boss" should be over,

Because its deconstruction and satire are profound enough.

The so-called "Tanghui" is actually a company in the final analysis, and to maintain the operation of the company, relying on slogans is meaningless.

Interest is the core.

The students were whispering below and discussing the plot.

Roosevelt looked at Lu Shi,

"Professor Lu, you wrote this drama, aren't you afraid of being surrounded and suppressed by those gangs? This is to peel off their skin, naked and naked!"

Lu Shi was absent-minded,

"What did you say?"

He was still staring intently at the stage.

Roosevelt was surprised,

"It's not over yet?"

He also looked towards the stage.

At some point, the curtain opened again,

It’s still the Chinatown setting, but it’s decorated with lanterns, gold and red, as if celebrating the Spring Festival.

Roosevelt was confused.

"Does "Bigg Boss" have five acts? It's not appropriate! It will seem dragging if it continues!"

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"It's just a little tail."

In movies, they are usually called Easter eggs.

The auditorium was quiet again,

The students' eyes were locked on the stage.

The last tail is only about two or three minutes long.

It's about the two churches having peace. Although they can't fight or kill each other, they still have to fight in all aspects, even the Spring Festival firecrackers.

The whip fighting activity also has an elegant name:

Around the whip.

There is a competition between the two sides, and the one whose firecrackers last longer and louder will be considered the winner.

The gunpowder for firecrackers costs money.

As a result, the minions below the hall suffered a lot and had to make "happy donations". Finally, an honest man couldn't stand it anymore and went to the opium den to smoke excessively just for relief.

The thirtieth day of the first lunar month,

Firecrackers were being set off on one side, and it was very lively;

The other side dies alone.

It was so quiet in the auditorium that you could hear a pin drop.

No one said a word until the curtain closed.

…

Backstage.

The workers were busy removing the firecracker paper used as props.

Li Jie pressed against the curtain and listened carefully.

"Strange, why is there no sound from the front?"

In the past, every time I performed "Upside Down", at the end, the whole audience would applaud and applaud.

But in the current situation, it was eerily quiet outside.

Someone asked: "Captain, do you think those Americans can't understand it? They don't know about the Spring Festival and don't know how to drive away the New Year beast with firecrackers."

Li Jie actually murmured in his heart,

Not to mention those Americans, even he himself was confused when he heard about "whipping around the court".

Professor Lu said it comes from "Chun Qiu Zuo Zhuan". How can ordinary people understand this?

"well……"

Li Jie sighed,

"I said before that this last part is unnecessary and superfluous. The most terrible thing is that the set is troublesome and consumes money and manpower, but in the end it is not pleasing to the eye."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Dai next to him said: "How can that be 'superfluous'? It's clearly the finishing touch!"

Li Jie glanced at his daughter,

"Then tell me, why is no one applauding outside?"

"Ah this..."

Li Dai is wilted,

After a long time, she argued: "That's because Americans don't understand!"

Li Jie said: "The audience can't understand, so why should we perform?"

Li Dai was speechless again.

"..."

She looked at her father,

"Captain, do you really think so?"

Calling her this way shows that the little girl is asking a serious question.

Li Jie couldn't help but think deeply,

Frankly speaking, as an actor and co-writer of the Cantonese version of "Bigg Boss", he believes that the word "finishing point" is the right answer.

The first four scenes are indeed complete and shocking enough.

And the ending is even more powerful,

Unfortunately, this kind of staying power is an indescribable and unexplained feeling that is difficult to describe in words.

Li Jie said: "In the process of playing the role of the boss, I gradually penetrated into the character's heart and became more and more aware of the subtleties of the organization. It was like... it was like..."

It seemed that he couldn't find the right words and seemed a little stuttered.

At this time, the factory worker’s voice sounded:

"Captain, it's all done. Do you want to take a call?"

Li Jie pressed against the curtain again, pricking up his ears to listen to what was going on outside.

"grass!"

Still no applause,

There wasn't even a sound of discussion.

He murmured: "Aren't those Americans quitting?"

The factory workers pulled open the curtain to a seam.

"No, they are all sitting down there. Most of them are in a daze, and a few of them are whispering to each other."

Li Jie gritted his teeth and said,

"Come on, the audience is here, so we must call the curtain."

The field workers are ordered,

The curtain was drawn again.

Li Jie looked at the dark crowd of heads below, neither laughing nor applauding, and couldn't help but break out in cold sweat.

I was thinking in my mind,

A knife is used to extend one's head and a knife is used to shrink one's head.

He simply gritted his teeth, took a step forward with the members, and said loudly: "Thank you! Thank you all for supporting me today! I hope everyone likes this new show!"

After speaking, he took the lead in bowing.

The others also bowed in unison.

However, still no one applauded,

"..."

There was a long silence.

Cold sweat slid down Li Jie's forehead, along the arc of his cheeks, and finally came to his chin, dripping to the ground.

Tuanyuan next to him asked softly: "Captain, what should I do?"

Li Jie's face turned dark.

"If you ask me, who should I ask?"

He has never experienced such a weird thing.

Even when performing circus or acrobatics in the past, even if there were only a few guests present, people were willing to applaud.

Li Jie cursed in his heart, but had no other solution, so he could only say: "Keep bowing."